'Legend,' 'Alvin' are 1-2 in U.S. theaters

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Two new offerings, "I Am Legend" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks," burst into U.S. movie theaters this weekend with gangbuster sales figures.

No. 1 "I Am Legend," a sci-fi, action thriller starring Will Smith and Alice Braga, raked in $76.54 million in estimated ticket sales in its first weekend, Box Office Mojo reported Sunday. "Alvin," a partially computer-generated animation flick based on the 1960s TV cartoon starring Jason Lee as Dave and Justin Long as the voice of Alvin, came in at No. 2 with $45 million in estimated ticket sales.

"The Golden Compass," slid from the top spot to No. 3 with $9.03 million, followed by "Enchanted" with $6 million. The Coen brothers' "No Country for Old Men" continued its upward march, climbing to No. 5 from sixth with $3 million in ticket receipts in its sixth week in the theaters.

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